Sarah Curry and David King met many years ago, picking up student artwork from the Regional Scholastics Art Exhibition on display at The Cleveland Institute of Art. Despite the fact that Curry & King have a background in Painting, they dusted off their sewing machines in an effort to protect health care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 epidemic. They are contributing to the worldwide movement to make cloth masks for those caring for the sick. These masks are by no means a replacement for the much needed N95 masks approved by the CDC. What they do is extend the life of disposable masks as they can be sterilized and reused at hospitals and health care facilities. The momentum of the movement has been locally propelled by seamstresses at Pins & Needles. They are coordinating with local health care facilities as part of the “Million Mask Challenge- A global sew-a-thon aimed to support our health care workers and those in need”.  Pins & Needles are providing instruction with helpful videos and patterns as well as drop off locations for finished masks. Curry and King have finished 100 masks so far and plan to continue sewing. For details please visit the Pins & Needles website: https://www.pinsandneedles.com.

King taught art to high school students for 30 years. For many years he worked closely with CWRU as a Cooperating Teacher to Student Teachers and upon retirement from Chagrin Falls High School, he began working for CWRU as a Supervisor of Student Teachers in the Art Education Department as well as a Drawing Instructor for CWRU’s Studio Program in the Department of Art History and Art. Curry’s history with CWRU goes back to the 1990’s when her mother, Ginny Wallace-Curry, taught Legal Writing to CWRU law students. Curry received her Masters in Art Education from CWRU in 2001, taught Painting classes at CWRU’s “Summer in the Country” program and has been a Cooperating Teacher at CWRU for the past 15 years. Curry and King have also been on the Advisory Council of the CWRU Teacher Licensure Program for over 10 years.

Sarah Curry